Benjamin Douglas (1816-1894) was the son of William Douglas, of Northford,
Connecticut , USA.

A young man one inquired of Daniel Webster whether he thought it
advisable for him to adopt the law as a profession. Webster
replied: "There's always room in the upper story." In the great
race of life there are few who ever climb to the upper story,
and where one outstrips his thousands of competitors we
naturally inquire whether the elements that have conduced to his
success are hereditary or acquired. Hon Benjamin Douglas
inherited those remarkable traits of character which may be
traced back through several generations to his Scotch ancestry.
The Douglas coat of arms is: "Argent, a man's heart; Gules,
ensigned with an imperial crown proper; on a chief Auzer, three
stars of the first." The motto "Jamais Arriere" (never behind).
This is the secret of Mr. Douglas' success. The distinguishing
elements of his character are an indomitable will, perseverance,
and a firm trust in an all wise Providence that

"Shapes
our ends Rough how them as we will."

Mr. Douglas was
born at Northford, Conn., April 3rd 1816. His father was a
farmer whose ancestors were among the earliest settlers of New
England. His grandfather was Colonel William Douglas of a New
Haven regiment, an officer in the Revolution. The only
educational advantages enjoyed by the younger Douglas were a few
months' attendance at the district school during winter, the
remainder of the time being spent on the farm. In 1832, when he
was but 16 years of age, he apprenticed himself to a machinist
in Middletown. In 1839, he joined his brother William, who was
previously one of the firm of GUILD & DOUGLAS. For three years
they carried on the business of an ordinary foundry and machine
shop. In 1842, they invented the celebrated revolving stand
pump, which proved a great success, and the business of
manufacturing pumps increased from year to year, the trade
extending throughout the United States, South America, the
Sandwich Islands, the West Indies, Australia, Europe, and Asia.

While Mr. Benjamin Douglas attended strictly to his
business, he found time to devote to public enterprises and
works of benevolence. He has been a faithful and earnest friend
of the coloured people, and when the irrepressible conflict was
brought to a final issue by force of arms, he was foremost among
his fellow citizens in proving the means for crushing the
rebellion. He has filled many positions of honor and trust. He
was mayor of the city from 185- to 1855; he was a member of the
General Assembly in 1854, and again in 1872. He was elected
presidential elector in 1860, casting one of the six electoral
voted for the State for Abraham Lincoln; was lieutenant governor
of Connecticut in 1861 and 1862. It is as a Christina, however,
in the humble walks of life, that the brighter and more
beautiful phases of his character appear. He first united with
the Congregational Church at Northford, Connecticut, in 1831. He
united by letter with the South Congregational church of
Middletown in 1832, and from that period to the present time has
been one of the main pillars of the church.

For nearly
30 years he has filled the office of deacon, and was for many
years superintendent of the Sabbath school.

On his 22d
birthday, April 3rd 1838, he married Mary Adeline, daughter of
Elias and Grace Totten Mansfield Parker, and a niece of Major
General Joseph K. Mansield. By her he has had six children:

John Mansfield, born in Norwich, Connecticut, February 6th
1839; Sarah Kirtland, born March 21st 1841, died September 21st
1841; Benjamin, born November 17th 1843, died December 18th
1843; William born August 5th 1845; Benjamin 2d, born August 8th
1849; Edward, born June 17th 1854, married, on the 16th of
December 1875, to S. Emma, daughter of Daniel H. Chase, LL. D

Benjamin Douglas,
manufacturer, a grandson of Colonel William
Douglas, born in Northford, Connecticut, 3 April 1816, worked on a
farm and attended school till he was sixteen years old, when he became
apprentice to his elder brother, William. a machinist, at Middletown,
Conn. They formed a partnership in 1839, and in 1842 patented a revolving
cistern stand pump. Since that time over one hundred new patents on pumps
have been granted to the brothers in this country and Europe.

William Douglas died in 1858, and in 1859
a company, W&B Douglas, was formed of which Benjamin became president. The company
manufactures over twelve hundred styles of pumps, besides other hydraulic
apparatus. They were awarded medals at Paris in 1867 and Vienna in
1873.

Mr. Douglas was mayor of Middletown from
1850 to 1853. He was a delegate to the Republican National
Convention from Connecticut in 1856. Later, he was the Lieutenant Governor
of Connecticut for a single one year term, from 1861 to 1862, during one
of the eight years that William A. Buckingham was governor of Connecticut.

Douglas succeeded Julius Catlin as Lieutenant governor and his successor
was Roger Averill, both of whom also served when Buckingham was governor.